The Webster Progress-Times

WALTHALL - A Sheriff's Department employee who lost her job last month met with the Board of Supervisors about her dismissal afterwards.

The discussion at the board's March 31 meeting followed an executive session in which supervisors discussed personnel matters with Sheriff Phillip Smith. Supervisors came back into open session 40 minutes later; no motion stemming from the closed session was made

However, the discussion apparently concerned Smith's termination of sheriff's office dispatcher/bookkeeper Evelyn Mann, who had been waiting outside the boardroom and addressed the supervisors immediately afterwards.

Mann said Smith told her the previous Friday that he was relieving her of her duties because he had lost confidence in her ability to do the job. Smith also stated this when questioned by Mann during the meeting.

Mann also said Smith would not let her see her personnel folder, adding that she wanted to do so because, "I want to know what is documented and see whether I agree or disagree."

Mann said she felt like she should know if something was in her personnel file that would be detrimental to her. She also told the board she had received little training for the job, and said outside the meeting that she felt her firing was unjust.

In response, board attorney Buchanan Meek Jr. explained that "at-will" employees of the state can be terminated for any reason or no reason at any time. He also said, "I don't know (that) you have the right to see your personnel records," and that the county's personnel policy does not apply to employees of the sheriff's office.

When Mann asked if she could file for unemployment, Meek said she could but that the employment office would have to decide whether or not she was eligible.

Regional Jail

Also last month, the board as adopted a resolution requesting that the state consider Webster County for a regional jail.

The March 3 resolution requests that the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and any other appropriate and necessary state department or agency, consider the county as a site for a regional jail/correctional facility. The document was to be forwarded to the county's legislative members.

It points out that the existing 40-year-old county jail is routinely criticized by inspectors, and is in need of major repair and extensive modernization and upgrade if it is to be of continued use.

It further notes that Webster County has suffered severe economic distress from the closing of local industry. Locating a regional jail here would provide new employment opportunities and thereby assist the recovery of the local economy, the resolution adds.

The document states that more than one appropriate site exists in the county

Board President Larry Crowley said state Rep. Danny Reed of Ackerman was supposed to have introduce a bill in the Legislature to include Webster County in the current round of funding for a regional jail.

Railroad Authority

Cynthia Wilson, executive director of the Webster County Development Council, and Bill Martin of Mississippi State University met with supervisors on March 17about efforts to revitalize the Columbus & Greenville Railroad.

Wilson asked supervisors to consider passing a resolution that would enter the county into the North Central Mississippi Railroad Authority, which would be dedicated to restoring the 93 miles of track between Greenwood and West Point. Webster was the first county board requested to do so.

Supervisors set a public hearing on the proposed creation of the regional rail authority, which was Monday at their first monthly meeting. No public comments were received and the board voted to table the matter until April 21, when Wilson will be asked to return to provide more information.

Also on that date, State Aid Engineer Jerry McCorkle addressed the board about posting bridge weight limits in the county.

David Crawford and Tom Herrington with U.S. Networx addressed supervisors about the possibility of setting up a website for Webster County. No action was taken.

The board adopted a resolution commending the Tennessee Valley Authority upon its 75th anniversary.